Wintering yearlings on residue can be profitable

Courtesy photo.The Maddux Ranch uses a Unimog pulling an adapted manure spreader that has been placed on a truck running gear to feed distillers on cornstalks. The Unimog can travel down the road at 50 miles per hour, but can be shifted into lower gear and used like a tractor in muddy and snowy conditions in the cornfield.

As corn moves upward in price, wintering yearlings on grass and crop residue is becoming a more viable option for some cattle producers in Nebraska.

“Nebraska has traditionally been a cow-oriented state,” said John Maddux of Wauneta, Neb. “Because of high grain prices, feeder demand, and feed resources like distillers grain that is available here, we could become less oriented toward cows, and more oriented toward yearlings,” he said. “It is a definite area for growth in the state.

“It could be a very good business for someone to buy calves and run them on cornstalks or forages, supplementing them with distillers grain,” Maddux continued. “There is a good market for them in March and April if a producer doesn’t have summer pasture available.”

As corn moves upward in price, wintering yearlings on grass and crop residue is becoming a more viable option for some cattle producers in Nebraska.

“Nebraska has traditionally been a cow-oriented state,” said John Maddux of Wauneta, Neb. “Because of high grain prices, feeder demand, and feed resources like distillers grain that is available here, we could become less oriented toward cows, and more oriented toward yearlings,” he said. “It is a definite area for growth in the state.

“It could be a very good business for someone to buy calves and run them on cornstalks or forages, supplementing them with distillers grain,” Maddux continued. “There is a good market for them in March and April if a producer doesn’t have summer pasture available.”

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As corn moves upward in price, wintering yearlings on grass and crop residue is becoming a more viable option for some cattle producers in Nebraska.

“Nebraska has traditionally been a cow-oriented state,” said John Maddux of Wauneta, Neb. “Because of high grain prices, feeder demand, and feed resources like distillers grain that is available here, we could become less oriented toward cows, and more oriented toward yearlings,” he said. “It is a definite area for growth in the state.

“It could be a very good business for someone to buy calves and run them on cornstalks or forages, supplementing them with distillers grain,” Maddux continued. “There is a good market for them in March and April if a producer doesn’t have summer pasture available.”

As corn moves upward in price, wintering yearlings on grass and crop residue is becoming a more viable option for some cattle producers in Nebraska.

“Nebraska has traditionally been a cow-oriented state,” said John Maddux of Wauneta, Neb. “Because of high grain prices, feeder demand, and feed resources like distillers grain that is available here, we could become less oriented toward cows, and more oriented toward yearlings,” he said. “It is a definite area for growth in the state.

“It could be a very good business for someone to buy calves and run them on cornstalks or forages, supplementing them with distillers grain,” Maddux continued. “There is a good market for them in March and April if a producer doesn’t have summer pasture available.”